Kushikatsu (Deep-Fried Skewered Meat and Vegetables with Homemade Sauce)

Steps

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1. 1
   Make the sauce by combining Japanese Worcester sauce, okonomiyaki sauce, tomato ketchup, and water. Stir thoroughly to mix.
   ▶ ≈0:20
2. 2
   Prepare the batter by beating egg and cold water together with a balloon whisk until the egg white becomes thin and uniform. Sieve flour into the mixture and stir until no dry flour pockets remain.
   ▶ ≈0:46
3. 3
   Prepare the beef by making shallow cuts on both sides to tenderize it. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Cut into 2 cm pieces and skewer 2 pieces together on a bamboo stick, leaving a slight gap between them for even cooking.
   ▶ ≈1:22
4. 4
   Pierce the Amanaga peppers multiple times along the flesh with a bamboo skewer to prevent them from bursting in hot oil. Skewer each pepper from the stem end to the tip.
   ▶ ≈2:13
5. 5
   Snap off the root end of the asparagus spears and peel away the firm skin from the bottom section. Skewer with a bamboo stick.
   ▶ ≈2:41
6. 6
   Slice the onion into 1 cm thick slices. Skewer from the outer layers with a wooden pick, then add another pick from the opposite side to prevent layers from separating. Remove the picks before serving.
   ▶ ≈3:03
7. 7
   Pierce cherry tomatoes with a bamboo skewer to prevent bursting. Cook the vegetables first before frying meat and seafood to avoid the oil absorbing their odors.
   ▶ ≈2:26
8. 8
   Coat vegetables in batter by ladling batter over them. Cover with finely ground panko and lightly press to attach firmly. Heat oil to 170°C. Fry until the surface firms up, then flip and continue frying until golden brown. Drain excess oil on a cooling rack.
   ▶ ≈3:59
9. 9
   Before coating other ingredients like mushrooms, eggplant and cheese, thoroughly dry their surface to prevent oil from splashing. Ensure cheese is thoroughly coated and the panko firmly attached to prevent the batter from falling off and cheese from leaking into hot oil.
   ▶ ≈5:14
10. 10
    Use finely ground panko for meat and seafood, which helps the coating fill gaps and attach firmly for even, crispy results. Heat oil to about 180°C and fry at higher temperature for shorter time to prevent toughening. Cook beef and scallop to medium rare or according to preference.
    ▶ ≈5:50
11. 11
    Serve the fried kushikatsu with the sauce for dipping. Traditionally in Japanese establishments, the sauce is shared and double-dipping is considered bad manners and unsanitary. At home, you can dip as many times as you like if your family or friends don't mind. Alternatively, scoop sauce with a cabbage leaf. Serve with sudachi citrus or lemon and salt.
    ▶ ≈6:40